Publications

Naughty or Nice: Is Trump's Hint of a Gift of a Pardon to Manafort Obstruction of Justice?

The Insider: White Collar Defense and Securities Enforcement

According to various media reports, President Trump’s Christmas list may include the gift of a pardon to his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort. Many critics claim that the mere suggestion of a pardon to Manafort amounts to an obstruction of justice. The law on whether and when the nation’s chief law enforcer can be said to engage in obstruction is unsettled, although what is clear is that the president’s constitutional authority is not limitless. Other presidents have exercised their absolute power to pardon in questionable ways, but the question on everyone’s mind lately is whether Trump’s dangle of a pardon to Manafort, as distinguished from the act of pardoning, may constitute an obstructionist act. [...]